An Angel of Music: Encounter by Dracona Dragillin Gargoyles belongs to Disney and is not mine. Please send feedback. This is one of the first things that I'm writing and I'd like to know if anyone likes it. This is just a series of stories about a romance between a human and a gargoyle and what the power of love can accomplish. SPOILERS: They will meet up with the Manhattan clan and there will be stories ahead for mature readers only because they will go into explicit details. "You were with him again! Were you!?!" "So what! It's not like I'm getting anything at home!" Hannah listened to the argument. Her parents were fighting again. There was a crash. *I guess they're throwing the plates.* Hannah almost cried but forced herself not to. Instead, she grabbed her guitar and snuck out her window. Outside of her window was a tree which she climbed down. She was careful during her trip downward for her guitar. It was her most precious possession. Hannah remembered working week after week to earn the money to buy it. She delivered papers, run errands, did yardwork, and many other things. It was a proud day when she went into the secondhand shop and bought that guitar. The guitar was beat up, dirty and missing a few strings. But under her care it became a beautiful instrument. After a few minutes, she reached the woods. It was dark out but darkness never scared Hannah. She crawled up the ancient tree until she found her favorite branch. The branch was wide enough to support her comfortably. Idly her fingers strummed the guitar. Softly she began to sing, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John. And somehow it soothed her soul. ------------------------------------------------------------------- He wandered through the woods. For most of his life he wandered because he was always alone. His clan had died out from a plague that was probably started by the humans. Humans had always been untrustworthy. He had always hid from them. Why not? Anytime they had seen him, they called him a monster. His wings wrapped protectively around himself. So he searched but for what he did not know. He heard a noise. Someone was singing. His aunt, the rookery mother, used to sing to the children of the clan. But this voice was sweeter, purer. Quietly he crept closer. There was a human, sitting in a tree. She was playing an instrument. It was called a guitar, or so he thought. Her voice was spellbinding. For once in his life he stopped his wandering to stand still. And he listened. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hannah snuck back into the house. She felt much better after her private concert. Although she only sang for herself, Hannah had the oddest feeling that someone was listening to her. Her parents were still arguing and Hannah wasn't surprised. Her brother stumbled through the hall. He was probably drunk. Harry was the captain of the football team and loved to party with the boys. Harry and his friends made her nervous. Hannah tossed and turned. Eventually sleep claimed her. She slept until the dawn. Groggily, she got herself ready for school. The bus came and Hannah made a mad dash to get on it. Slowly she walked down the aisle. Of course she heard the whispers and snickers. Occasionally she heard the words: "Beanpole", "Crazy", and her favorite "Bitch". Hannah was tall. There was nothing she could do about that. They called her crazy because she was such a dreamer. She'd rather write and play music than have a social life. There was nothing that she wanted to do about that. Hannah found a seat and prepared for another long day. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hannah played a few notes. She had come back here for several nights and played her music. Somehow she felt that she needed to. "Hey little sis. Come on down!" Hannah left her spot in the tree when she heard her brother. "What do you want, Harry?" "My friends just wanted to hear you play." Several members of the football team stepped out of the bushes and surrounded her. One grabbed her guitar. Four of the other grabbed her. "Help!" she yelled. Harry smacked her. "You think anyone's gonna hear your mouth." "I can." Harry turned around and was about to mouth off. Then he saw the creature behind him. He was tall and army green with brown hair. He had a pair of wings, four taloned fingers on each hand, and large bird-of-prey-like feet. And he was wearing nothing but a loincloth. It growled at Harry. Quickly he slashed Harry's shirt, slicing it to ribbons. The other team members saw that their leader was being beaten, so they ran away. Harry quickly followed. Before their departure, the team members had dropped Hannah. She now sat on the forest floor, unmoving. "Are you all right?" the creature asked. Hannah barely nodded. "What are you?" Hannah croaked. "I guess you have never heard of my kind. I might even be the last," he sighed, "I am a gargoyle." "But that's just a statue." "During the day, gargoyles turn to stone. It is our sleep." Why was he telling her this? All his life he distrusted humans. Why did he trust this one? "Thank you for helping me." "I have to go." "Please don't!" Hannah's face reflected the emotion she was feeling. She didn't want to lose her new friend. "I don't know how to thank you." "That isn't necessary. I enjoyed your music. That is enough." "So you were listening to me." The gargoyle blushed, "I'm sorry." "Don't be. I like having an audience," Hannah continued, "What's your name?" "My kind have no names." There was silence between them. The tension was very thick. Neither knew what to say. "You want to her me play?" she stammered The gargoyle was surprised. "Yes please," he answered. And so she did. ------------------------------------------------------------------- She came back night after night and he was there. At first they didn't talk very much. Both were too shy. But soon they got used to each other. The time pasted and Hannah was surprised to find out that a month had past. Where time had gone slowly when she was alone, time now sped by with the gargoyle's company. One day they sat together chatting. Hannah had just played a few songs and now he was giving her his opinion. "You should slow down the tempo. That was supposed to be a love song." "Thanks," she said sarcastically, "Thanks a lot, uh you" There was silence for a few moments until Hannah continued, "You ought to have a name. I'd just feel better not calling you, "you", all of the time." The gargoyle looked a little nervous. "All right." "I'll call you Eric. It's after the Phantom of the Opera." "Yes, I read the story. I didn't know that you saw me like that." He got up to leave. "Where are you going? Don't leave. I didn't mean any harm." But the gargoyle ran away. Hannah left her guitar and chased after him. They ran on and on until Hannah thought her lungs were going to burst. Suddenly he stopped and looked at her. "Why are you doing this to me? You tricked me into being your friend but revealed your intentions by giving me the name of a monster and a murderer." "I gave you the name of a man who was different than anyone else and for that he had lived a life without love. Finally he found it in a special young woman and he'd do anything for her. I always saw him as a tragic hero. His one fatal flaw was that he was hated and eventually returned that hate. I wanted you to see that even if you are different and feel that you're alone, I'm here to care about you. I always thought that if the Phantom had a good friend who cared about him, the story wouldn't have ended so sadly." Hannah walked slowly over to the gargoyle. She took his hand and pressed it in her two hands. The gargoyle then spoke, "I'm sorry. I never met to hurt you. I've never really trusted anyone before. I would like the name Eric." He stopped for a second and then started again. "You still have my hand," he said but he then gently took her hands in his. Hannah looked at their hands clasped together. Then her eyes traveled upward to his. His eyes were filled with gentleness and longing. Hannah had no doubt that her eyes had the same look. "Hannah," he whispered. "Yes...Eric." She waited for a response but none came. He let go of her hands and looked embarrassed. "We should go back. Dawn is coming soon." They walked until they reached the abandoned house. It was a little two roomed cottage that Eric used as a place to sleep during the day. Hannah noticed that Eric was much more reserved with her. He mumbled responses to her questions. She tried to keep talking during the walk back but keeping a one sided conversation was too difficult a task. When they reached the cottage, Eric ducked in, mumbling a quick goodbye. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hannah had made her way home and spent another sleepless night. In the morning she made a call to her Aunt Mary. Aunt Mary was a moderately successful artist and Hannah's second most closest friend. Aunt Mary and Uncle Jack weren’t liked very much by Hannah’s family. They were free spirited and a bit eccentric. Aunt Mary was also known to speak her mind."Hello, Aunt Mary. I need to talk to someone." "What is it, Hannah dear?" "I think I'm in love and he might be in love with me. "That sounds wonderful dear. What is the problem then? "But he's too shy to admit it and so am I. I want to tell him how I feel but I can't." "Why not? "He's sort of different than other people." "He's not doing anything illegal or immoral." "No, Aunt Mary. He looks different than other people. To others, he's ugly but I think he's rather handsome in his own way. And he's very sweet but shy." "Go for it. Better to have loved and lost and all that stuff. But don't let him force you into anything. Jack! I gotta go. Your uncle is roller-blading and just fell on his butt. Bye! "I'll do that. Bye Aunt Mary." But Hannah couldn't help wondering how a gargoyle female tells a male that she's interested. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hannah made her way to the woods that night. Fall was changing into winter. She found her tree and sat down, leaning against the trunk. It was so cold. She could feel the tears that coursed down her face growing cold. Crying, why was she crying? The longer she sat alone, the harder it was to stop the tears. Something touched her shoulder and Hannah jumped. "Hannah, what's wrong?" She turned around to see Eric standing there, looking worried. "I'm sorry. I just..." "Just a little depressed." She nodded, "Sort of." "I know the cure for that." Eric smiled as he helped her off the ground. Hannah was so surprised to see him in such a good mood. "Come on! I'm going to take you gliding." Hannah looked at him warily. "Is it safe?" "I've done it for most of my life and I'm still alive." He grinned at her. Hannah rolled her eyes. "That is such a comfort," she said sarcastically. Then she changed her tone, "All right, let's go." Eric took her to a high hill. Hannah looked down and became nervous. "I don't know if we..." Eric grabbed her and jumped off the hill. He opened up his wings and spread them apart. Hannah just buried her face in his shoulder. "Come on, Hannah. We're fine." Hannah then found out that he was right. She was comfortable in his arms but loved the thrill of gliding. But at the same time, she felt perfectly safe. Eric was an excellent glider. He found updrafts and thermals and kept them above the tree tops. He was also a skillful at making midair maneuvers. Hannah then spoke, "Eric, I can't hide the way I feel. I..." Eric quickly interrupted her. "Hannah, I love you," he spat out. The look on his face was filled with sadness and pain. Hannah's heart felt ripped apart with confusion. She didn't know what to say. Eric mistook her silence, "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. It's just..." Hannah stopped him with a kiss. She pressed her lips against his. Their lips began to move slowly. Hannah's body seemed charged with hot electricity. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and ran across his fangs. Eric, feeling just as much as she did, opened his mouth more. WHAM! Their flight was terminated when they collided into something. They slammed into the ground quickly. "Hannah, are you all right?" Eric helped her sit up. Hannah's body was in pain. "Eric, we have to have our next kiss on the ground. My butt is sore." "I was wrong. We shouldn't have done that." Hannah grabbed Eric by the shoulders and pulled his face close to hers'. "You are not allowed to regret that! In fact, I definitely want to kiss you again! I love you and I know you love me. Let's not mess this up with regrets." Eric listened to Hannah's angry outburst, quietly. When she was finished, he pulled her into an embrace and wrapped his wings around her. They kissed again, standing still under the moon's light. Their kiss was passionate and tender. After a few moments, Hannah's hands began to rub Eric's back. She rubbed him in between his wings. Quickly he shoved her away. "Hannah!" he half yelled, half panted. "Why the hell did you do that!?!" "Touching between a gargoyle's wings is like me touching your breasts! It's a very sensitive spot. I was starting to loose control of myself.' "What's wrong with that?" "Hannah, just my hands can bend iron or gash it with my claws. What would I do to your fragile body if I loose total control." "You'd never hurt me," Hannah's voice was shaky. "Not intentionally. But I might by accident and I don't want to." Hannah turned away. "So you want to stop our relationship?" she angrily asked. Eric took her in his arms. "No, I just want to set some limits, for now," he then grinned mischievously, "until we can find an easier way of taking those steps!" Hannah smile and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Come on, Eric! We'd better head back. It's getting near dawn." The End So that’s the end of the first part of An Angel of Music. Please send feedback!